it is very disappointing. >> a triple crown shocker before any horse even reaching the belmont starting gate. i'll have another is out. also -- >> i've never had trouble finding work before. >> out of work more than six months. long-term unemployment. for millions, jobless benefits of running out. tips how you can get back to work. oh, yeah. you recognize that song. bob ip back. sue ellen running for office and j.r., as conniving as ever. this is the next generation, still battles over control of south fork. wait until you see what the cast told me in our sit-down interview. good morning. i'm randi kaye. thanks for joining us. sharing a story of a little boy we can all be pretty darn proud of. i'm sure you felt that sense of pride when your kid hit the homer, or an a on a history test agonized over. it's impossible not to be proud of a child. imagine the pride you would feel if your child, just 15, helped save an entire neighborhood from a fire? he ran door to door warning neighbors a wildfire was coming and picture this, wheeled into an ambulance for severe burns he suffered during this great rescue effort, he continued to warn the medics to save the little old lady down the street? imagine this little hero? he's certainly made his family proud this morning, and us as well. much more about this incredible eighth grader coming up. we start with guarantee from attorney general eric holder his new lead investigators will get to the bottom of the secret scandal. president obama says his white house has little room for guilt, holder appointed two attorneys to work with him in the apparent ongoing investigations. in syria, reports of an increase in anti-government activity in the capital of damasc damascus. forces and the military are battles as well as in other cities across the country. at least 20 killed in southern syria and doctors are being kept away from the wounded. federal marshals offering $5,000 on a fugitive suspect wanted in alabama. he's considered armed and dangerous. wanted in connection whip tith deaths of 5-year-old twins and their baby-sitter. and help on the way from people sickened from toxic smoke and fumes from the demolished world trade center on 9/11. new cancer victims. and they're looking into this. >> what kind of cancers? lymphoma, lung cancer. it represents about an about-face. victims exposed to th ed to thd rubble and toxic ash after the attacks. the national institute for occupational safety and health overseeing the 9/11 program, is $4.3 billion fund eligible for victims that developed cancer in the months after 9/11. this represents a narrative of often forgotten victims in the narrative of 9/11. >> who might now be covered, then? there are so many who couldn't take care of themselves? >> right. it doesn't just affect first responders or firefighters. anyone in the area. >> even if you live nearby. >> even if you live nearby. the problem is proving it and having probable cause for those that were develop cancer after 9/11 making it so you have to prove. how can you prove if even in the scientific community there's extreme doubt and skepticism about links between the 9/11 attacks and cancer. >> and if you think about it, too, i guess a lot of people are probably wondering how long will they have to wait until this takes effect? this is just a recommendation? >> yes. we're not out of the woods just yet. it's just a recommendation. this could take weeks if not months. public comments, review, further review needs to be done. there's a longer road ahead. >> yeah. at least something's being done to try and help these folks. check back throughout the morning. >> thank you, randi. no triple crown today. that's because the horse i'll have another is injured and will miss today's belmont stakes. the problem, a bad tendon. the trainer and owner decided it was in the horse's best interests to keep the horse from running one more race. >> horse racing is a very tough game in that the horses are very delicate creatures and things can happen to them and unfortunately, they decided today was the day for i'll have another to end his career. >> we'll have to wait another year for a possible triple crown. add for i'll have another, he's retired and will be put out to stud. stud fees for a kentucky derby winner could be around $65,000. rundown from stories we're working on this morning -- looking for a job more than six months. today, long-term unemployment in america is in focus. plus, a man pull as gun against a neighbor in an act of what they alls self-defense and is now onmurder. this is not george zimmerman. stand your ground in texas. and for this woman, stuffing herself in a suitcase, yes, you do not want to miss the rest of this story. hey, the new guy is loaded with protein! really? 25 grams of protein. what do we have? all four of us, together? 24. he's low fat, too, and has 5 grams of sugars. i'll believe it when i--- [ both ] oooooh... what's shakin'? 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[ major nutrition ] ensure high protein... ensure! nutrition in charge! more than 50 times a day? so brighten your smile a healthy way with listerine® whitening plus restoring rinse. it's the only rinse that makes your teeth two shades whiter and two times stronger. ♪ listerine® whitening... power to your mouth. florida's stand your ground law is under intense scrutiny and stirring of you controversy after george zimmerman killed trayvon martin. the law is now a key part of zimmerman's defense. expecting to examine whether similar laws have a racial bias nap may include texas where a retired fire ffighter is on tri for murdering an elementary school teacher. the firefighter's words -- in defense in court. >> reporter: when raoul turned up at a neighbor's house to complain about noise at a party, he had a gun and a cell phone connected to 911 operators and a videocam ranchts more than 85 decibels and i'm 200 feet away. >> reporter: it was may 2010, and the retired firefighter had been calming the police all nigh complaining about rowdy party. frustrated he conference his neighbor and some of his buddies on the driveway. >> turn that down, please. >> hey, well, who you are. >> i live over here. turn it down. >> hey, don't go hol erg at me, buddy. >> the video lasts about 20 minutes. over and over, you hear rodriguez tell the man to stop or he'll shoot. >> i ain't going nowhere. >> you just stop right there. don't come nip closer. >> don't tell me not to come closer to you. >> i said stop right now or i will shoot you. i'm in fear for my life. y'all are -- gechlt away from me. >> the men at his house appeared unarmed but still, rodriguez, with a license to carry a concealed license repeatedly tells the 911 officer, he fears for his life. it's just me against everybody. i've got -- look, there's about 15 people here. look, i'm -- i'm in fear for my life now. that's why i brought my weapon. i'm in fear for my life. please, help me now. they're going to kill me. oh, jesus, they're going to kill me. i smell liquor. >> the men shout at rodriguez and he tells police the partygoers want to "beat me down." >> soap i'm running the video camera right noud and i'm talking to you. i mean, i'm scared to death here. >> reporter: at one point one of the men seems to hint at getting his own weapon. >> when i go in that house and come back don't think i won't be equal to you, baby. >> they're going to escalate this. going into the house and getting something else to shoot me with. i'm going to have to defend mimes. i'm going to have to defend myself. >> reporter: it may seem a bit odd to bring a gun to resolve a noise complaint, rodriguez may be able to defend himself using the castle doctrine. what happens in the next few moments on that video is key. rodriguez uses very specific language, phrases like, i'm standing my ground, and my life is in danger. listen closely. >> it's about to get out of hand, sir. please, help me. please, help me, sir. my life is in danger now. these dguys are going in the house, he's going to be more than equal than me. now i'm standing my ground here. now these people are going to try to kill me. >> reporter: then suddenly shots fired. >> i'm going to tell them to stay back. they're drunk. [ gunshot ] >> [ bleep ]. >> that's where the video ends, but we know the shooting continued. three of the partygoers are shot. two survive, but kelly daniger, hosting the party, is dead. raoul rodriguez says he's not guilty of murder and this video proves he acted in self-defense and not a murderer. >> what do you think about this case? what raoul just acting in self-defense or was this murd jer twe murder? tweet me. we'll air your responses late. facing long-term unemployed and solutions to get you back in the workforce. they say love makes you do crazy things. how about curling up in a suitcase to visit your boy sgrend it landed this woman in trouble whip the law, as you might imagine. we'll tell you why she did it. for three hours a week, i'm a coach. but when i was diagnosed with prostate cancer... i needed a coach. our doctor was great, but with so many tough decisions i felt lost. unitedhealthcare offered us a specially trained rn who helped us weigh and understand all our options. for me cancer was as scary as a fastball is to some of these kids. but my coach had hit that pitch before. turning data into useful answers. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. [ male announcer ] new icy hot arthritis lotion. powerful encapsulated menthol gets icy to dull pain, hot to relax it away. power past pain. around that the troop in this economy? unemployment benefits ending for tens thoufs out of work long term. we are focusing on the problem and possible solutions. the numbers, the latest labor report shows 12.7 americans unemployed. of those, more than 5 million out of work at least six months. the average is around 40 weeks. thousands have blown past that 40-week threshold and exhausted all unemployment benefits, regular and even emergency. introducing us to one of those struggling without benefits. >> reporter: home improvements of what richard does to stay busy since he's been unemployed for two years. >> it's been frustrating. it's been frustrating because i've nerve her a problem finding work before. >> reporter: this 53-year-old electrical engineer used to earn around six figures. now he's forced to think outside the box. >> like one of the jobs i saw, a teller at the local credit union. it was a part-time job as, like, $12 an hour, but still it's some income. >> reporter: he's like 5 million jobless americans out of work for more than six months. he was collecting unemployment benefits, but they expired in december and he's tapping into his savings to make ends meet. this month, 70,000 more jobless americans across two dozen states will share his plight when their benefits run out, and all long-term unemployment insurance will eventually be phased out by the end of the year. the new timeline was set by congress in february when lawmakers passed what they promised would be the last extension of long-term benefits. congress also cut down the maximum length of time a person can collect unemployment from 99 weeks to 73. >> it is frightening to realize one safety net is being pulled out from under you. >> reporter: the political divide over another extension is deep. republicans say it's too costly and enables people to stay on unemployment rolls longer. democrats say, it's money that finds its way back into the economy, and is the best way to help the unemployed. for now, nothing is on the table to extend benefits past this year. and the presidential rive manies are also du rive manies are dusking it out. the president says they have to act to stimulate the economy. >> wee seeing weaknesses in the economy have to do with state and local government. >> for the president of the united states to stand up and say the private sector is doing fine is an extraordinary miscalculation and misunderstanding by a president who's out of touch. >> reporter: the president later clarifiered his remarks. >> the economy's not doing fine. let me be as clear as i can be. the economy needs to be strengthened. that's why i had a press conference. >> reporter: the big question is, whether congress will take up the issue before election day. sandra endo, cnn, washington. you met richard deaner there in the piece. he'll join me next hour to talk more about the struggles of finding work and dealing with the loss of unemployment benefits. a different kind of relationship baggage. a woman arrested for trying to get a secret tryst in this big pink roller bag. yeah, she's in trouble. over the south pacific in 1943. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. homicide of young people in america has an impact on all of us. how can we save these young people's lives? as a police chief, i have an opportunity to affect what happens in a major city. if you want to make a difference, you have to have the right education. university of phoenix opened the door. my name is james craig, i am committed to making a difference, and i am a phoenix. visit phoenix.edu to find the program that's right for you. enroll now. ♪ good morning new york city. what a beautiful shot there's of new york city. good morning, everyone. welcome back. here's a check of what's making news cross country. plenty of relationships have baggage. not like this. in oregon, a woman arrested because a woman was sneaking her into his apartment in a big pink rolling suitcase. she was banned from the building after getting into trouble last year apparently but doesn't want the arrest to stand in her way. >> i'll do it all over again, or would, but -- they're already on to me now. >> yeah. sort of. to colorado where an eighth grade boy rode his all-terrain vehicle through flames to warn his elderly neighbors about a wildfire. the boy suffered second-degree burns but his dad says that with flames over 100 feet high, the move was heroic but necessary. >> we knew it was going to be bad. i told my ston get on his atv, head up the road and tell the neighbors north of the fire it was so fast. you just didn't know who was in distress. >> and from coast to coast, you can get into national parks for free today. it is national get outdoors day. so all 397 national parks are waiving their entrance fees. some state parks are offering free admission as well. for many u.s. troops returning home, the emotional aftermath of war can be just as devastating as their experiences in the war zone. in fact, it's estimated that 18 veterans take their own lives every day. this week, cnn heroes is giving veteran whose suffer from ptsd and traumatic brain injuries a way to move forward with man's best friend. meet mary fra tchfratni. >> i went in the house. >> stayed inside. windows blacked out. >> really numb. >> didn't feel like i had a purpose in life. >> nightplay marnightmares. constantly flashbacks. >> everything is combat zone for me. >> we can't see. they appear like you and i but they're suffering so deep it touches the soul. >> what are you doing, buddy? >> i learned how to train dogs while i served. i knew that a dog can mean a lot in life. i realized this is what i'm supposed to do i match veterans with service dogs, train them at a team so they can navigate life together. they have a mission and purpose again. >> talk to them. >> dogs come from shelters, rescue groups, taught to create a spatial barrier and can alert them when they start to get anxious. >> okay. getting overwhelmed. focus on baby. >> the dog is capable of keeping them grounded. >> you're focusing on him and he's focusing on everything around you. >> you start to the see them get their confidence back. communicate differently. they venture out and are beginning to participate in life again. being able to help them find that joy back in their life, it's priceless. >> march mary was nominated by s like you. to nominate somebody, visit cnnheroes.com. and capital city rocked by explosions in syria. live to beirut for the latest. cuban cajun raw seafood pizza parlor french fondue tex-mex fro-yo tapas puck chinese takeout taco truck free range chicken pancake stack baked alaska 5% cashback. signup for 5% cashback at restaurants through june. it pays to discover. 14 clubs. that's what they tell us a legal golf bag can hold. and while that leaves a little room for balls and tees, it doesn't leave room for much else. there's no room left for deadlines or conference calls. not a single pocket to hold the stress of the day, or the to-do list of tomorrow. only 14 clubs pick up the right one and drive it right down the middle of pure michigan. your trip begins at michigan.org. if you made a list of countries from around the world... ...with the best math scores. ...the united states would be on that list. in 25th place. let's raise academic standards across the nation. let's get back to the head of the class. let's solve this. holding down the fort while you're out catching a movie. 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[ dennis ] mayhem is everywhere. so get an allstate agent. are you in good hands? it is just about half past the hour. welcome back. i'm randi kaye. glad you're with us. syria, the violence is now approaching the government's front door. gun fights and demonstrations are erupting in damascus, long considered a stronghold for president bashar assad. now, gunfire live in the streets. arwa, you're joining us live by phone. pictures from damascus, does the assad regime sense trouble? >> reporter: certainly, because it is imperative for the survival of the regime that it maintain control over the capital, over damascus itself. we saw pretty intense clashes erupting in a fair number of neighborhoods. some of them in. heart of the capital itself. now, the capital suburb pretty much was it. they are only able to go out and demonstrate for a minute or two before security forces show up, and they are even able to hit the streets in abu dhabi. this happens for short periods of time but then the government goes in and always gains control. this level of wide were spread clashes throughout the capital, in the heart of damascus itself, this is not something we have seen in the past during this entire uprising. it most certainly is an interesting development, one that definitely is going to have to regain control over because it cannot afford to have this happening time and time again. >> this has been going on for 15 months and i'm not sensing fatigue around rebels or government forces. are you? >> reporter: you know, in some ways, that is what is 1yujust s amazing. after 15 months they're somehow able to muster and go out and demonstrate. on the few occasions where i have been able to join them during demonstrations, it takes them days, if not weeks, to organize one demonstration. but when it comes to damascus, it lasts around five minutes before security forces show up, yet they have been doing it, as you mentioned there, 15 months. i know they're not going to give up and